Kiffin ran a 4-3 scheme in his 13-year stint as a highly respected coordinator with the Buccaneers (1996-2008), so he presumably would want to scrap the Cowboys’ 3-4 and implement a four-man front. That would mean DeMarcus Ware would move from a 3-4 outside linebacker to a 4-3 end.

Kiffin was part of Jon Gruden’s staff in Tampa that won a Super Bowl after the 2002 season. Elements of Kiffin's "Tampa 2" zone-based scheme were adopted throughout the league.

According to the ESPN report, Andy Reid had his eye on Kiffin for the Chiefs' defensive coordinator job, but he wasn’t interested in that position.